Sneak Peek: Windows Phone 8 Is On the Horizon

Ricky is a social journalist for BizTech magazine. He's a writer, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all-around digital guy.

Microsoft successfully launched its Windows Phone 7 Mango update last year, and although it's working on pushing out an update to that release called Tango, the company is already hard at work on Windows Phone 8, codenamed Apollo.

The features and specs behind the software company’s next mobile operating system were released when a video featuring Windows Phone manager Joe Belfiore leaked. One thing Belfiore confirmed is that there will be tight integration between Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8, the company’s next desktop OS.

GottaBeMobile rounded up the details on the hardware, apps, data and business features expected to come with Windows Phone 8.

Hardware

Along with the Windows 8 integration, Apollo will bring support for multi-core processors, higher screen resolutions — there are four in total but they were not revealed — as well as removable microSD card storage. Apollo will also bring support for near-field-communication (NFC), which Belfiore calls “the wallet experience.”

For those unfamiliar with NFC, it allows for mobile phone users to make payments just by using their smartphone. It’s fairly limited here in the United States but it’s expected to explode if the iPhone 5 has support for it.

Apps

Microsoft is going to include native code support, which will allow developers to more easily port over their applications from iOS and Android. It should also allow for devs to create even more powerful applications.

Skype will also apparently be built into the operating system, and Microsoft is also going to be introducing lens apps for the camera, which should bring more features to those who love to use their camera.

Enterprise

Redmond will apparently add native 128-bit BitLocker encryption, which will not only give enterprise customers more security, but will allow them to use software behind a company firewall.

Data

Last but not least, Windows Phone Apollo will bring something called DataSmart, which is a feature used to easily track data usage. For example, the feature will automatically connect to WLAN’s owned by carriers when the phone is in range.

For more on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8, read the full report on GottaBeMobile.